2 Dead, 17 Hurt as Clashes Renew in Tripoli, Army Fires Back at Gunmen
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Two people were killed and 17 others were wounded on Thursday as the exchange of gunfire renewed in the Tripoli neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen and other frontiers in the northern city.
"The casualty toll from the Tripoli clashes has risen to two dead and 17 wounded," LBCI television reported.
In remarks to Agence France Presse, a security source identified one of the dead as Moatassem al-Shamra, 26, who was killed in an exchange of fire in the Qobbeh neighborhood that also wounded two others.
Two more people were injured by gunfire in Bab al-Tabbaneh, the source said, adding that a soldier had also been wounded in the city, but it was unclear where.
"Sniper fire intensified on all frontiers in Tripoli and residents are fleeing some areas en masse as lights were totally switched off," Radio Voice of Lebanon (100.5) reported.
Some casualties happened near Khalaf Supermarket, state-run National News Agency said.
Future TV identified the wounded as Ahmed Mahmoud Shaqra, Muatassem al-Bireh, an army naval commando, a citizen from al-Shumra family and another from Fakhreddine family.
Meanwhile, many media outlets said several people were wounded when a shell hit an apartment in Jabal Mohsen.
The army closed the Tripoli-Akkar road due to sniper activity and is shooting back at the sources of gunfire, LBCI said.
The National News Agency said the army was responding with medium-caliber weapons against the sources of gunfire in Jabal Mohsen, Bab al-Tabbaneh, al-Baqqar, Hariri Project, al-Mankoubin, al-Mallouleh and Syria Street.
VDL (100.5) said a meeting for the leaders and clerics of Bab al-Tabbaneh was underway in Harba Mosque.
It also said heavy gunfire erupted at the Hariri Project-al-Baqqar-Qobbeh Square area, leaving a man identified as Mutassem al-Bireh wounded.
The radio station revealed that Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil telephoned Rifaat Eid, the political relations officer of the Arab Democratic Party – the main political and military force in Jabal Mohsen -- to inquire about the security situation in Tripoli.
Al-Manar television quoted an Arab Democratic Party source as saying that "the clashes in Tripoli are between the army and gunmen positioned in Bab al-Tabbaneh."
"The latest security-related developments in Tripoli are currently being discussed at the cabinet's session," Future TV said.
Later on Thursday, the National News Agency said a man identified as Yahia al-Thalji was wounded by sniper fire near al-Jihad Mosque in Bab al-Tabbaneh.
"The army closed the Tripoli-Akkar road due to sniper activity and is shooting back at the sources of gunfire," LBCI said.
Citing reports, Future TV said the leaders of Bab al-Tabbaneh's frontiers have decided to start a battle with Jabal Mohsen and sever contacts with political forces and security agencies.
The TV network also said gunmen were gathered in areas that are "relatively far from the frontiers of fighting."
"Some of them are publicly roaming Tripoli's streets in their cars," it added.
A man was killed on Wednesday by sniper gunfire.
“A man who hails from Jabal Mohsen was killed after he received a gunshot in his head in the city's al-Mouhajirin street,” it detailed, while MTV noted that his name is Talal Azaya.
Clashes erupted in the city after a shootout broke out earlier on Wednesday at the Qobbeh state-run hospital.
The hospital's incident was soon followed by the appearance of gunmen in the area between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods and shells were also dropped in the region.
Taher Mohsen Jadeed and his brothers Youssef and Mehdi were wounded in the hospital shootout, reported OTV.
MTV said that five people were injured in the incident, which was prompted by a sectarian dispute.
21 March 2013, 23:49
01
Lebanon will never rest. Hopefully all these fighters will meet what is coming to them soon and fast.
22 March 2013, 00:17
13
Where is the general of Lebanese army? Don't worry about our corrupt govt. just send in the army and obliterate these jihadist , no matter from whatever side their from ! Clean them out of our city and country , use your iron fist , cleanse the country form these fanatical pigs.. You are the one that's wearing a legitimate uniform representing us lebanese we don't want trouble makers' just wipe them out , even if you have to wipe the two suburbs out .
22 March 2013, 01:36
01
Oh OK, this is something new. If it happens again, lets worry about it later. We've become the laughing stock of the planet.
22 March 2013, 02:16
23
What is interesting to signal is that Future TV has not accused the Alaouites of Jabal Mohsen to have ignited the fire but the extremist Sunnis in Bab el Tebbaneh. Thumbs up for Future TV for being unbiased.
22 March 2013, 02:28
04
jihadists?please.
this has never been a "jihad" thing or even a muslim thing-this is pure politics and ignorance...using islam as a "veil" to cover up their urges and thirst for power...its quite funny actually because these ppl call themselves jihadists,but they r not.jihadiasts are those who fight for God...but if you read the quran..war and killing is not the way.peace is the messagw of the quran...not this.this is the highest form of blasphemi...killing in the name of islam and im at home now,listenning to the bombs the house is shaking.my prayers go out to all the women and children who are still up...too scared to sleep and mothers who r petrified for the lives of theor children.
again this is politics,not islam.
these are not jihadists...they are murderous blasphemers.
22 March 2013, 06:09
21
No gabby you are wrong my friend . It is the wahibist Sunni , they should be executed from Malek Abdullah down , including Saad harirri and Co.. They are the root of all evil , don't forget that his father (rafik) sold his first wife to a Saudi so called Prince. !! That's how they made their money , " Family of Pimps" shame on them. I'm writing these as facts and on top of that I can match their wealth , let them answer to me I can also prove it... I'm willing to pay for all DNA .. Sign ROX
22 March 2013, 12:28
10
Rudy my fellow lebanese I have electronically sign up for it , I said I'm willing to pay for it ( ie DNA) Saad has half brothers' from his fathers' first wife which he sold her off to a Saudi.
22 March 2013, 12:51
01
so basically you dont have proof. you have an assumption and you are willing to prove it.
good luck with that.
doesnt every single person on this forum have his own assumptions (some about M8, some about M14) that they say are true and they are willing to prove it?
case in point: M14 people say gebran bassil and aoun are benefiting financially on a personal basis from their presence in government. how would you feel if i said i can prove it. all i need is gebran bassil's full statement of accounts
22 March 2013, 07:28
12
Malek Abdullah and Saad harriri as well . Throw your money away like Judas and hang yourself , otherwise someone else will do it fo you .... You traitors !!
22 March 2013, 10:09
22
Nobody is defending any government for that matter. Any sane person knows that all the governments of the world are criminals a d thieves. But some are worst than others. Hitler was a dictator. But he never killed his own people. To all the people who are still defending herb Iran and saying that there is a Zionist conspiracy to take down the muqawwama. Stop lying to yourself. Irans criminal regime killed the Iranians before they killed syrians. 90 percent of Iranians here in Canada will tell you this. Everyone knows the truth, all you have to do is change the channel
22 March 2013, 09:00
22
Roxy put the phone down and focus on your teacher. It might come on your exam next week.
W yalla t3aj
22 March 2013, 10:05
12
This is the manners of hezb Iran. They are always quick to label others blindly and throw out false accusations to make them look like they are ashraf al nas. Well you are exposing yourself , keep up the filthy language. Anyone regardless of there faith roxy can see that you haven't been taught any manners. Don't say you respect the Quran. The Quran doesn't teach your hatred. Prophet Mohammed PBUH was sent a mercy for all mankind. When I read your comments, I feel like puking
22 March 2013, 10:35
12
You are a big hypocrite, one post you say you respect the Quran , another one you say it's a pathetic way of teaching peace. You judge a book by it's cover. The Quran is perfect book, no contradictions. You can us all kind of names, no problem. But I challenge you to bring one contradiction, or one verse like the Quran. You can't, nobody can. There is alot of contradictions in your statements. You keep on talking about sunni jihadis. Yes there are people fighting . We don't deny that. But herb Iran kept on denying until god exposed them. And the worst part is they are brainwashed to believe they doing the jihadi duty by killing Syrian women and children, raping, massacring, the shia will pay the ultimate price in the end. So judge yourself before you judge others
22 March 2013, 12:49
10
Judge ? What judge ? I'm not judging anyone you little squirm, it's you , you just said it , no one can bring a verse or contradiction from the Quran , you fanatics don't even know what your on about !!!! Shove it all up your large hole , it's as good as toilet paper ..
22 March 2013, 16:50
00
Snipers are cowards. These fools can't read , know nothing, never will, and have no future. All they can do is show off to their idiot friends that they too are stupid. To put these idiots in prison is a waste of public resources. Both sides, in fact, anyone carrying a gun in Lebanon not associated with Security forces should be summarily executed. Salafist clerics expousing conflict ,hatred and the further destabilization of Lebanon should be tortured and hung in a public square. Christians should be put in charge since Sunnis and Shiites can't figure out that this is a no win situation that is a downward spiral. You'ld think 19 years of Civil War and a million refugees coming into Lebanon from Syria would be enough to convince all Lebanese to stop being yourselves before it's too late. PS, Isreal in loving it. Their Sunni collaborators are taking down their own ship and Isreal doesn't even have to pay bribes or spies.
